outline of leaf
by WhisperedSilvers
Summary: It's all about the endgame.—Steve/Kono. Ohana-verse.


**Outline of Leaf**

 **By: WhisperedSilvers**

 **Prompt: "Can you handle it?"**

 **Summary: It's all about the endgame.—Steve/Kono. Ohana-verse.**

* * *

And perhaps, it was gut instinct that led Steve to believe that something was beyond wrong. Beyond his control, beyond _reach_ , because his blood began to itch as soon as Chin pulled up the recent files of Serbs that entered Hawaii's airports. Blonde hair and green eyes—Natalie.

"We need to move," Steve breathed and then he steeled it with iron threads, "Now."

Even with Toast running his fingers against the keyboard like _something_ straight out of a sci-fi film or anything closely related to a dystopian film — this was Kono's _second_ case. Leaving her on protection detail with a kid and a woman seemed innocent, but that was the keyword, _innocent._ Truthfully, he should've left another officer or personnel with her, not because he didn't _trust_ her, but because she was _new._

And Steve's has seen blood, he has seen death, he has seen everything there was to _see_ —but, Kono, Kono was _new._

Even speeding down the street, with Danny yapping in his eardrum and Chin quietly sitting in the back, he dialed her number on speaker, and waited.

"Steve," She greeted.

He glanced at his phone suspiciously, because _first_ of all, Kono has _never_ addressed him as _Steve_ – outside of business hours of course – and it was her tone, that made him frown, because he could pick up delicate tones of faux excitement, almost dryly, and if it wasn't sarcasm that he was hearing it had to be pointed.

So he asked, "Kono, am I on speaker?"

"No,"

Steve furrowed his brows, "Natalie's working with the Serbs. We're on the way to the house. Where are you?"

"No, everything's great,"

Steve flickered his eyes over to Chin, lips pressed into a firm line before he spoke, "Copy that. Just stay on the line as long as you can. We're running a trace. Can you tell us where you are?"

Kono's voice was relaxed, even almost and Steve had to give her credit, because she was in a hostile environment, with her assailants armed to the teeth and said assailants using a kid as a hostage, but Steve had hired Kono on the word of her cousin and her prowess that he, himself has witnessed, with his own two eyes.

So he had to remain calm, even though his stomach was twisting in knots, because Kono can handle _herself._

Yet, that doesn't mean he shouldn't — shouldn't _worry._

"Yeah, I might even take Evan out to Mokuleia Beach for a swim."

Steve nodded, "Okay, you're heading north."

But Kono slipped, "Exactly."

And the call dropped.

.

.

.

When Steve got a look at the hostage situation inside the building, he believed that he caught Kono's eyes, but he turned away to quickly to read the expression and a part of him regretted that. So he turned back and his heart slightly calms when he saw the relief—the gentle light in her eyes spark and it made him that more anxious to get her the _hell_ out of there.

There were motions, eyes in motion, a small crack of a smile and the takedown.

But Kono had her eyes set on Natalie, even with through the gunfire, but the gun had gone off and it was only seconds before Steve watched the propane tank light afire.

"Everyone out!" Steve yelled and he yelled with that ridiculously, low and intense Navy SEAL voice of his, "Now!"

They ran out of the building with fire licking at their footsteps.

.

.

.

Sometimes, there were things you couldn't foresee. The purple bruises on Kono's face and the nasty cut on the corner of her mouth, and maybe, maybe Steve shouldn't have worried too much, but he's her boss and that will always come with the job—at least that's what he got out of it.

But for he, Danny and Chin, this is the least he could— _they_ could do.

With the initial of Chin Ho Kelly, Steve walked up to her and handed her a box. She eyed the box with eagerness and had to stop himself from cracking a smile, he said, "Go ahead."

Her quite exhale of amusement made him crack a half-smile, which was probably quite a feat, being a _Navy SEAL_ , after all.

"A Kel-Tec nine-mil," Kono mused, "Very nice."

"Makes for a good backup weapon. Keep it in your belt, ankle strap, doesn't need a separate holster," Steve explained, a small smile quirking up at his lips.

She nodded and smiled, "Thanks, boss."

Steve nodded too, resting his weight at the back of his hips, he inhaled, "I'm sorry you were put in danger today. We care for each other like a family, so please know we'll always do everything we can to protect you."

And Steve saw it.

He _saw_ it.

He saw the fear and heartache in her eyes for the briefest of seconds and _this_ is what he was expecting, and it wasn't easy being out in the field. Everything is taken out of perspective, because it's _your_ call and no one else's—life and death, the possible outcomes of each case comes with that burden and he was proud.

Proud because she was handling it and proud that his trust in her was not wasted.

Those words; _like a family._

They meant everything to Kono.

And Steve would see it through, right next to her.

* * *

 **Steve's character is something of an anomaly. Hopefully, I'll get around to a multi-chap fic.**

 **—Please leave a review on your way out.**


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